Is Performing a Proper US Patent Search a Quick and Easy Process?
No, it is not. There are literally millions of patents and patent applications published by the USPTO. Proper patent searching to identify inventions that might be cited by the USPTO (to reject the claims in your patent application) is a methodical and time consuming process.
Do We Subcontract Your Patent Search to Other Firms?
Some patent search services may subcontract your patent search to other firms, including foreign firms.
Disclosing your invention material to third party firms, especially foreign firms, may compromise your invention confidentiality.
We do not subcontract your patent search to other patent search firms. Your patent disclosure material remains in our office in the United States and is not disclosed to third parties.
Why Use Our U.S. Patent Search Service?
- Our patent search report includes a patentability opinion and telephone consultation to discuss your patent search report. These can be quite useful to determine if it is worthwhile for you to proceed with a patent application for your invention.
- Some low-cost patent search reports being advertised on the Internet only include copies of relevant US patents and patent applications, without a patentability opinion. The companies providing these search reports may expect you to evaluate the relevant patent applications yourself.
- Your confidential invention disclosure remains in our office and is not subcontracted to other firms.
- After preparing your patent search report, to avoid a possible conflict of interest, we do not pressure you or attempt to decide for you whether you should file a patent application for your invention.
What results are provided by our patentability search?
Our patent search service includes a USPTO patent search and a USPTO patent application search. The search results are described in a written patentability report with a patentability opinion and telephone consultation for the inventor. Our patentability report is carefully drafted for your invention. The patentability report includes a comparison of “prior art” US patents and patent applications with your invention, so that you have some assessment as to the patentability of your invention.
As a matter of ethics, we attempt to assess the patentability of your invention as objectively as possible. We strive to provide you, if reasonably possible, sufficient information to allow you to make a reasonably informed decision whether to file a patent application for your invention.
Will a Patentability Search Report State Whether or Not a Patent will be Granted on My Invention?
Our patentability search report cannot state whether or not you will receive a patent on your invention (nor can any patentability search report we’re aware of make a definite prediction that a patent will or will not be issued). Only the USPTO can make the determination if a patent will be granted on your invention.
Can a Patentability Search Discover All Patent Applications that Might be Used to Reject My Patent Claims?
A patentability search represents a good faith effort to report on “prior art” US patents and patent applications that might prevent you from obtaining a patent on your invention. As there are millions of issued patents and patent applications, there is no guarantee that all possible relevant patent applications will be discovered during a patentability search.
Also please note that pending, non-published USPTO patent applications will not be discovered when patentability searches are performed.
What is the Scope of Our US Patent Search?
Our US Patent Search covers U.S. published patents and published patent applications, with a keyword search back to 1976 and a class/subclass search going back as far as possible. Included in our patent search service is an expert opinion of patentability in the US, along with a list of relevant patent references found.
What is the Cost of Our US Patent Search?
Please see our fee page for more information on costs of patent searches.
http://www.accupatents.com/patent-costs/patent-fees-costs/
Does a Patent Search Include any Guarantees?
Accupatents is committed to providing accurate and complete patent search services, subject to certain limitations. Due to the subjective nature of patent research and due to possibly incomplete data supplied to us, we cannot guarantee that our search reports are 100% complete or error-free. We believe it would be unethical for any patent search service to guarantee the patentability or non-patentability of any invention. We therefore cannot guarantee the patentability or non-patentability of any invention you disclose to us.
We are committed to full honesty and integrity in dealing with our clients. We never misrepresent any facts or mislead you as to the obstacles you might encounter in attempting to patent your invention, in order to facilitate business from you. We look forward to assisting you!
How Much Time is Required to Complete Your Patent Search?
Our US Patent Searches normally require about one to two weeks to complete.